HistoryExtra podcast

Harlot, feminist, witch, backstabber, icon, powerplayer, victim – in the centuries since her execution, Anne Boleyn has been branded all of these. But what do we know about the real Anne and her story? In episode two of our new series on the dramatic marital history of England’s most notorious monarch, Ellie Cawthorne is joined by Dr Owen Emmerson and Dr Tracy Borman to uncover the rollercoaster story of the woman who set Tudor England ablaze. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thirty years ago, a deadly standoff in Texas between a religious cult and the FBI hit the headlines around the United States. The story of leader David Koresh and the power he held over the Branch Davidian religious group has fascinated and appalled in the decades since, and has cast an increasingly dark shadow over US politics. Matt Elton spoke to author Stephan Talty about what Waco tells us about 20th-century America, and the ways in which its mythologisation have come to inform extremism in the 21st century. (Ad) Stephan Talty is the author of Koresh: The True Story of David Koresh and the Tragedy at Waco (Apollo, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Koresh-True-Story-David-Tragedy/dp/1801102678/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In January 1742 a ramshackle boat washed up on the Brazilian coastline. Inside were 30 men, half starved and close to madness. Claiming to be survivors of the wrecked British vessel the Wager, they told an incredible tale of survival on the high seas. The men were hailed as heroes until, six months later, another group of castaways washed ashore. And these men had a very different story to tell about what had happened to the crew of the Wager. Author David Grann tells Ellie Cawthorne how a shipwreck led to mutiny, murder and even cannibalism. (Ad) David Grann is the author of The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder. Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-mayiPad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-wager%2Fdavid-grann%2F9781471183676 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did the Nazis’ poisonous antisemitic rhetoric eventually culminate in the systematic mass-murder of millions? In the fourth episode of our five-part series tackling the big questions of the Second World War, historian Laurence Rees joins Rachel Dinning to chart the course of the Holocaust – from its origins to its devastating conclusion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the fall of Jerusalem into Frankish hands in 1099 during the First Crusade, a string of new crusader states emerged, initiating Western rule in the region for almost 200 years. Drawing on listener questions and top search queries, Emily Briffett speaks to Dr Nicholas Morton, Associate Professor at Nottingham Trent University, to find out more about these states – and why the complicated story of this region has such a long cultural afterlife. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Looking at sport history, it’s easy to get the impression that women’s involvement in sporting activities only began in the 1970s. However, as author Rachel Hewitt outlines, women were excluded from sport as rules and regulations were codified from the 19th century. Speaking with David Musgrove, she considers how the sporting and outdoors endeavours of women have consequently been overlooked in sporting history. (Ad) Rachel Hewitt is the author of In Her Nature: How Women Break Boundaries in the Great Outdoors (Vintage, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Her-Nature-Women-Boundaries-Outdoors-ebook/dp/B0BD73MK7K/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Catherine of Aragon’s 23-year-long marriage to King Henry VIII witnessed many twists and turns – triumph, tragedy, and, ultimately, betrayal. In episode one of our new series on the dramatic marital history of England’s most notorious monarch, Ellie Cawthorne is joined by Dr Nicola Clark and Dr Tracy Borman to discuss the fluctuating fortunes of Henry VIII’s first wife. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Æthelflæd was a successful and celebrated ruler of the Mercian peoples in the early 10th century, who enjoyed a period of great political prosperity. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Rebecca Hardie explores what this fascinating figure can tell us about contemporary definitions of power, the lives of other women at the time and the complicated patchwork of early medieval kingdoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 19th century, cannabis, cocaine and heroin were widely available over the counter at the local chemist. Respected scientists and doctors tested out laughing gas and chloroform on their friends at dinner parties, while philosophers and artists dabbled in drug use to try and unlock different states of consciousness and even access the spirit world. Mike Jay, author of Psychonauts: Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind, tells Ellie Cawthorne about these formative experiments in drug taking. (Ad) Mike Jay is the author of Psychonauts: Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind (Yale, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Psychonauts-Drugs-Making-Modern-Mind/dp/0300257945/ref=sr_1_3?qid=1679582312&refinements=p_27%3AMike+Jay&s=books&sr=1-3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How instrumental was Churchill in Britain’s decision to stand against Hitler? What was it like to work with the consummate charmer President Roosevelt? And why did Stalin feel betrayed by his allies? In the third episode of our five-part series tackling the big questions of the Second World War, historian Laurence Rees joins Rachel Dinning to discuss the role of the ‘Big Three’ – Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin – in shaping the course of the conflict. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who were the rulers of Russia prior to the 1917 Revolution? How accessible were they to the ordinary peoples of the Russian empire? How did a foreign-born princess manage to secure absolute power in St Petersburg, and what impact did the Napoleonic Wars have on tsarist influence? Speaking to Danny Bird, Simon Sebag Montefiore answers listener questions about the Russian tsars, from the ancient origins of their regal title to the monarchy’s dramatic collapse. (Ad) Simon Sebag Montefiore is the author of The Romanovs: 1613-1918. Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Romanovs-1613-1918-Simon-Sebag-Montefiore/dp/1474600875crid=Y7HQ1IS420LY&keywords=attack+warning+red+julie+mcdowall&qid=1680258464&sprefix=attack+warnon%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-1/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A dastardly bandit responsible for incredibly heinous crimes, or a runaway in search of his freedom? Meg Foster unravels the myth of “Black Douglas”, whose life of crime across 19th-century Australia made him a target of lynch mobs and the popular press. Speaking to Emily Briffett, she explains how Douglas was branded a shadowy bogeyman, and delves into his experiences as a hard-drinking prize-fighter and phrenologist. (Ad) Meg Foster is the author of Boundary Crossers: The hidden history of Australia's other bushrangers (NewSouth, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boundary-Crossers-history-Australias-bushrangers/dp/1742237525/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The KGB would stop at virtually nothing in its attempts to spread chaos and confusion in the west throughout the Cold War. From honeytraps and smear campaigns to spreading fake news, Mark Hollingsworth tells Spencer Mizen about the KBG’s extraordinary attempts to destabilise its enemies. (Ad) Mark Hollingsworth is the author of Agents of Influence: How the KGB Subverted Western Democracies (Oneworld, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Agents-Influence-Subverted-Western-Democracies/dp/0861542169/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 17th century was a turbulent time for England, overshadowed by a civil war, a coup and a regicide, not to mention the looming threats of terrorism, plague and witch panics. However, in the coffee shops and on the street corners of growing cities, the common people finally had their voices heard – and those voices were loud. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Jonathan Healey illuminates a revolutionary society that helped forge modern Britain. (Ad) Jonathan Healey is the author of The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England (Bloomsbury, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-blazing-world%2Fdr-jonathan-healey%2F9781526621658 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What can Viking poetry reveal about the era in which it was written, and the people that wrote it? And why are ships, love and death some of its most common recurring motifs? Judith Jesch and Carolyne Larrington shared their expert insights with Matt Elton, tackling listener questions and reading excerpts from some of their favourite examples. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did Hitler make the fateful decision to invade Poland in 1939? How did Churchill turn defeat at Dunkirk into a victory on the home front? And why did Japan’s imperial designs lead to war in east Asia? In the second episode of our five-part series tackling the big questions of the Second World War, historian Laurence Rees joins Rachel Dinning to guide you through the early years of the conflict – from Pearl Harbor to the fall of Tobruk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What was it really like to live and fight in WW1 trench? Why was throwing your empty food tins into No Man’s Land a death sentence? And what was the worst care package a Tommy could receive from home? Speaking with Emily Briffett, Peter Hart answers listener questions on life in the trenches – from favourite foods and morale-boosting parades to a soldier’s chances of survival in the face of deadly diseases, gas and explosions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If – or when – a nuclear bomb was dropped on Cold War Britain, the nation was primed to react fast. When the sirens sounded, children would run home from school using the quickest familiar route. Families would wait out the nuclear fallout under the stairs, while political leaders would evacuate to bunkers across the country, ready to launch the regeneration plan. But were all these plans actually just a load of nonsense? Julie McDowall tells Matt Elton about Britain’s nuclear response plans, and questions their effectiveness when faced with the reality of instant annihilation. (Ad) Julie McDowall is the author of Attack Warning Red! How Britain Prepared for Nuclear War. Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Attack-Warning-Red-Julie-McDowall/dp/1847926215/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Y7HQ1IS420LY&keywords=attack+warning+red+julie+mcdowall&qid=1680258464&sprefix=attack+warnon%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In recent years, discussions about sustainability and how we can create greener, more environmentally conscious urban spaces have been at the forefront of city planning. But to what extent are these considerations new? Author Ben Wilson tells Jon Bauckham about the ways in which societies have tried to bring wildlife into urban spaces, from the gardens of the Aztec empire to the bombsites of postwar Berlin. (Ad) Ben Wilson is the author of Urban Jungle: Wilding the City (Vintage, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Echolands-Journey-Boudica-Duncan-Mackay/dp/1399714112/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rome’s conquest of Britain in the first century AD was a brutal affair, as was the revolt against it led by Boudica. Duncan Mackay guides David Musgrove through the course of the rebellion, sharing the location of the final bloody battle, considering what we know about Boudica herself, and exploring why she continues to be a resonant figure today. (Ad) Duncan Mackay is the author of Echolands: A Journey in Search of Boudica (Hodder & Stoughton, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boundary-Crossers-history-Australias-bushrangers/dp/1742237525/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How many pieces of clothing did the average Tudor own? Did women in the 16th century have specialised maternity wear? And what was behind the fascination with codpieces? Jane Malcolm-Davies stitches together our understanding of what the Tudors wore, from knitted hats and linen handkerchiefs right down to underwear. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Jane details how clothes were lovingly made, kept and cleaned – and reveals the unusual fashion trend she’d like to see revived. (Ad) Jane Malcolm-Davies is the co-author of The Typical Tudor: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1351741932/the-typical-tudor-reconstructing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the first episode of our podcast series The Big Questions of the Second World War, historian and broadcaster Laurence Rees explains some of the short and long term causes of the global conflict – from the legacy of the Treaty of Versailles to the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What was the interior design like in medieval castles? Why were so many of these fortresses built in Wales? And what was it like to live in one? In our latest ‘Everything you wanted to know’ episode, Marc Morris answers listener questions on the history of British castles. Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, he touches on building techniques, the architectural influence of the crusades, and England’s first fortresses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Holocaust is an event so vast and terrible it can often be hard to wrap our heads around it. But what motivated those who perpetrated horrific crimes in the name of the Third Reich, and how did they justify their actions? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Martin Davidson discusses the devastating power of Hitler’s antisemitic worldview, and how it shaped the mindset of Nazi persecutors. (Ad) Martin Davidson is the author of Mobilising Hate: The Story of Hitler's Final Solution (Little Brown, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmobilising-hate%2Fmartin-davidson%2F9781472146410 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s modern fascination with true crime is nothing new – our early modern ancestors also devoured sensational stories of brutal deaths and shocking, unexplained crimes. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Blessin Adams delves into several sensational murder cases from between 1500 and 1700 to explore what they can reveal about society at the time. (Ad) Blessin Adams is the author of Great and Horrible News: Murder and Mayhem in Early Modern Britain (HarperCollins, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fgreat-and-horrible-news%2Fblessin-adams%2F9780008500221 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Seventy years since James Watson and Francis Crick first revealed DNA’s double-helix structure, Dr Kersten Hall shares the story of the scientist who almost beat them to their major discovery: molecular biologist William Astbury. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Kersten details how, despite missing this major opportunity, Astbury forged a new discipline, made pioneering steps in the field of X-ray crystallography – and also wore a coat made of peanuts. (Ad) Kersten Hall is the author of The Man in the Monkeynut Coat: William Astbury and How Wool Wove a Forgotten Road to the Double-Helix (Oxford University Press, 2014). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-man-in-the-monkeynut-coat%2Fkersten-t-hall%2F9780198704591 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

George Eliot is hailed as one of the greatest novelists of the 19th century. And in many ways the writer’s life was just as fascinating as her work. She repeatedly challenged the restrictive norms of Victorian society by eloping with a married man, writing fiction under a male pseudonym and marrying someone 20 years younger than her. Professor Clare Carlisle tells Ellie Cawthorne about the author’s unconventional experience of marriage and her fascination with philosophy, and how these may have influenced her books. (Ad) Clare Carlisle is the author of The Marriage Question: George Eliot's Double Life (Penguin, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-marriage-question%2Fclare-carlisle%2F9780241447178 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Second World War raged, King George VI faced not only a battle for the nation’s survival, but also for the royal family’s reputation. And that reputation came under threat from close quarters, when figures within the royal orbit, including the king’s own brother, were either linked with or sympathetic to Nazi Germany. Alexander Larman tells Ellie Cawthorne about the threat these connections posed to Britain’s royals, at a moment of national crisis. (Ad) Alexander Larman is the author of The Windsors at War: The Nazi Threat to the Crown (Orion, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=4746&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-windsors-at-war%2Falexander-larman%2F9781474623933&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Indian subcontinent, North America, south-east Asia and continental Europe all saw vicious fighting in the 1750 and 1760s as part of a major conflict now known as the Seven Years’ War. But did it really last for seven years? What role did George Washington play in its outbreak? And can it be described as history’s first truly global conflict? In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Jeremy Black answers listener questions on the Seven Years’ War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The story of Henry VIII’s six wives is a tale of political crisis and personal tragedy, sacrifice and survival, sex and death, scandal, love and betrayal. But, after centuries of myth have built up around this story, has it clouded our view of the real women involved? In this brand new podcast series, we’ll be peeling back the layers of mythmaking to take another look at these fascinating women, who shaped the course of Henry’s reign – and the history of England. To access all six episodes ad-free now, subscribe to HistoryExtra Plus, on Apple subscriptions. https://link.chtbl.com/T82VCEDM Episodes will be released weekly on this feed from 20 April. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Throughout history, have societies always been dominated by men? And how have patriarchal values shaped lives across centuries and continents? Historian June Purvis and writer and broadcaster Angela Saini discuss Angela’s new book The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule, touching on examples from across world history. (Ad) Angela Saini is the author of The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule (Fourth Estate, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Patriarchs-How-Men-Came-Rule/dp/000841811X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did the British army keep order among troops and officers during the Napoleonic wars of the early 19th century? And were the rank and file really as rough and ready as you might imagine? Speaking with David Musgrove, Dr Zack White details the most common crimes and punishments in the armies of the Duke of Wellington and his contemporaries, considering whether the effective imposition of discipline helped the British and their allies finally defeat Napoleon on the battlefield of Waterloo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You might think that the crusades were a largely male enterprise. But while that may have been the case on the battlefield, it certainly wasn’t elsewhere. Speaking with Emily Briffett, medieval historian Helen Nicholson delves into the archives to uncover just how vital a role women played in crusading campaigns, in recruitment, support, patronage and prayer. (Ad) Helen Nicholson is the author of Women and the Crusades (Oxford University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Patriarchs-How-Men-Came-Rule/dp/000841811X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Although 19th-century thinkers promoted the narrative that Christianity and science have always been at each other’s throats, in reality, argues Nicholas Spencer, the two have existed for centuries in a state of relative harmony – with some notable spikes in tension. Rhiannon Davies speaks to Nicholas to explore this intertwined relationship. (Ad) Nicholas Spencer is the author of Magisteria: The Entangled Histories of Science & Religion (Oneworld, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmagisteria%2Fnicholas-spencer%2F9780861544615 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the glories of early medieval Northumbria to the urban powerhouses of the industrial revolution, northern England has long had an identity of its own. In his book Northerners, Brian Groom traces the story of the North from the Ice Age to the present day. He tells Ellie Cawthorne about some of the key moments in the history of the region – and how the North-South divide goes back further than you might think. (Ad) Brian Groom is the author of Northerners: A History, from the Ice Age to the Present Day (HarperCollins, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fnortherners%2Fbrian-groom%2F9780008471200 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What did ancient pagans actually believe? Why were they fascinated by the divinity of nature? And why did paganism capture the imagination of the Romantics? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Professor Ronald Hutton answers your questions on the complex history of paganism, from difficulties of definition to recent revivals and popular misconceptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Canteen dining conjures up visions of plastic trays, hard benches and bowls of beige slop. But as the hardships of the Second World War began to bite, punters flocked to an idealistic establishment called the “British Restaurant” for good food, good prices and good company. Bryce Evans tells Ellie Cawthorne about these healthy, economical establishments, and explores what lessons they could hold for us today. Read a feature by Bryce Evans on British Restaurants here: https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/british-restaurants-ww2-rationing-canteens/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 19th century, one businesswoman shocked, horrified and fascinated New York society more than any other. Madame Restell was a celebrity and self-made millionaire known for her diamonds and love of oyster breakfasts. How did she make this fortune? By selling birth control pills and abortions from her Fifth Avenue Brownstone boarding house. Jennifer Wright tells Ellie Cawthorne about what Restell’s story can reveal about attitudes towards abortion, motherhood and the role of women in American society at the time. (Ad) Jennifer Wright is the author of Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York’s Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist (Hachette, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FMadame-Restell-Resurrection-Fabulous-Abortionist%2Fdp%2F0306826798 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For centuries, people have been dazzled by the illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages. But how much do we know about the countless makers, collectors and connoisseurs who took care of them behind the scenes? Speaking with Emily Briffett, Christopher de Hamel introduces some of these extraordinary people – from a Norman monk and a Florentine bookseller to a rabbi from central Europe, a Greek forger and an American woman with a spectacular library. (Ad) Christopher de Hamel is the author The Posthumous Papers of the Manuscripts Club (Penguin, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-posthumous-papers-of-the-manuscripts-club%2Fchristopher-de-hamel%2F9780241304372" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Queen Njinga, the 17th-century ruler of Ndongo and Matamba, in modern-day Angola, established an impressive reputation for her skills as a warrior and diplomat. At a time when Portuguese colonists were ramping up operations in the region, Njinga had to fight tooth and nail for survival, and make difficult decisions to protect her people. Luke Pepera tells Kev Lochun more about this formidable leader, whose story has been brought to life in a new Netflix docu-drama, African Queens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the dangers of childbirth to female sexuality, myths and legends about female monsters like mermaids and sirens can tell us a lot about different societies’ attitudes towards women over time. Speaking with Rachel Dinning, Sarah Clegg, author of the new book Woman’s Lore, examines the portrayal of women as seductive, child-killing monsters through history – from Lamashtu and Gello, to Lamia and Lilith. (Ad) Sarah Clegg is the author of ​​Woman's Lore: 4,000 Years of Sirens, Serpents and Succubi (Apollo, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Womans-Lore-Sirens-Serpents-Succubi/dp/1803280271/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Second World War raged across the world, what was life like for those back home in Britain? How did families make it through the terror of bombing raids? How many people took part in black market dealings? And what was it like to open up your home to an evacuated child? In our latest “Everything you wanted to know” episode, Professor Dan Todman speaks to Lauren Good to answer listener questions about Britain’s home front during the Second World War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Headlines have been made recently by proposed changes to the Treasure Act in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The changes would see more historical and archaeological artefacts defined as “treasure”, and could help museums acquire historically significant items. Speaking to Matt Elton, Lord Parkinson, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Arts and Heritage in the UK, discusses the thinking behind these proposals, and some of the other issues facing heritage in the UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Women blown up like balloons about to burst; leaders carving up the globe like a plum pudding; a drunken, bloated prince sprawled surrounded by unpaid invoices – the art of satirists like James Gillray, Thomas Rowlandson and Isaac Cruikshank gives us an unfiltered look at the preposterous highs and grisly lows of Georgian society. Alice Loxton tells Ellie Cawthorne how these artists pricked the pomposity of politicians, mocked the outlandish fashions of the aristocracy and gave the people of London a good laugh while doing so. (Ad) Alice Loxton is the author of Uproar: Satire, Scandal and Printmakers in Georgian London (Icon Books, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fuproar%2Falice-loxton%2F9781785789540 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1580s, the remote Essex village of St Osyth was beset by poverty and social tensions – and when a servant accused her neighbour of witchcraft, it sparked a crisis that engulfed the entire community. Speaking with Charlotte Hodgman, Marion Gibson explores what this late 16th-century witchcraft trial can tell us about life in early modern England. (Ad) Marion Gibson is the author of The Witches of St Osyth: Persecution, Betrayal and Murder in Elizabethan England (Cambridge University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Witches-St-Osyth-Persecution-Elizabethan/dp/1108494676/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In March 2003, a coalition of troops from nations including the United States and the United Kingdom mounted an invasion of the Republic of Iraq, with the stated aim of removing weapons of mass destruction apparently held by the nation. Twenty years on, BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera tells Matt Elton about his new BBC Radio 4 series considering the causes and consequences of the Iraq War – and discusses whether now is the right time to view the conflict as history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For thousands of years, humans have been in thrall to climate – it has dictated the crops we grow, the water we drink and even the diseases to which we might succumb. Rhiannon Davies speaks to Peter Frankopan about his new book that examines this crucial relationship, The Earth Transformed, to explore whether lessons from the past might help us navigate a potentially frightening future. (Ad) Peter Frankopan is the author of The Earth Transformed: An Untold History (Bloomsbury, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dress-Diary-Mrs-Anne-Sykes/dp/178474381X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1616, when the first English embassy was installed in Mughal India, England was a minor player on the global stage rather than a leading actor. Nandini Das explores what the challenges of this embassy can tell us about England’s unequal relationship with India at the time – and reveals how the future dominance of the British empire was far from a foregone conclusion. (Ad) Nandini Das is the author of Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of Empire (Bloomsbury, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcourting-india%2Fnandini-das%2F9781526615640 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What chores did medieval women have to get through each day? How could plucking your eyebrows in the Middle Ages land you in hell? And why did people believe that older women’s looks could kill? In our latest “Everything you wanted to know” episode, medievalist Dr Eleanor Janega answers listener questions about the lives and livelihoods of women in the Middle Ages. Speaking to Emily Briffett, she touches on everything from the trials of childbirth to the best places for women to party in the medieval period. (Ad) Eleanor Janega is the author of The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women’s Roles in Society (WW Norton & Co, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Once-Future-Sex-Medieval-Society/dp/0393867811/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve just launched a brand-new podcast series, History’s greatest cities, offering the chance to roam the streets and sights of some of Europe’s most fascinating metropolises. Join travel writer Paul Bloomfield and a host of expert historians as they chart the history of vibrant cities, sharing some top travel tips along the way. Here’s a taste of what you can expect, as Dr Eleanor Janega delves into the story of the City of a Hundred Spires – Prague. To listen to the full episode, and subscribe to the series as a whole, search for “History’s greatest cities” wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices